- 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
- 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup Italian Bread crumbs
- 2 tbs chopped basil
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
- Marinara Sauce
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)
- 1 tbs chopped parsley
- 1 large clove garlic finely chopped
- 1 can (28 oz) Progresso Crushed tomatoes with added Puree
- 1 large Basil Sprig with leaves removed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher (course salt)
- Pinch baking soda or sugar if desired
Preparation
Step 1
Make Marinara Sauce.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 8x4 inch loaf pan
In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 tbs of oil over medium heat.
Add bell pepper and onion, cook until just soft. Remove from skillet to plate, cool completely.
Place cooled bell pepper and onion in large bowl. add all remaining meat loaf ingredients. Press into loaf pan (if loaf pan is unavailable, shape mixture into a loaf shape on oiled shallow baking dish or pan. Spread 1 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce evenly over top of loaf.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 160 degrees F. Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
In 3 qt nonreactive saucepan, heat 2 tbs of oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until translucent. Stir in parsley and garlic, cook about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, basil stem and salt. Simmer uncovered 20 to 3o minutes, stirring frequently until thickened. (If sauce is to acidic, add pinch of baking soda and cook 5 minutes longer. If sauce needs touch of sweetness add pinch of sugar and cook 5 minutes longer). Remove basil stem before serving.
Makes 4 cups suace